The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a longlife and anti-regurgitation, in particular liquid infant milk; it also relates to the milk thus obtained.
For the feeding of infants, so-called infant milk is used which, most frequently, is provided in the form of powder which is dissolved in previously heated water.
As is known, infants are frequently subject to simple, lightly abundant regurgitations which often occur after meals or during eructation phenomena. These regurgitations have no effect on the development of the child and are mainly a matter of discomfort. More rarely, real gastroesophageal refluxes exist which are linked to anatomical errors and which can have esophageal and respiratory consequences. Faced with this problem, mothers consult the child's doctor (often a pediatrician) who is generally led to prescribe proprietary products, sold in pharmacies, which contain thickening agents such as pectin, carob, carboxymethylcellulose and the like. The proprietary product in powdered form is added to the infant milk, previously heated in a water bath or in a microwave oven. Everything must be added together then allowed to stand for several minutes until thickening occurs. Although very widely used for several decades, this technique is not satisfactory because, on the one hand, the dosing of the addition is always delicate and often imprecise, and on the other hand, it is long and requires a means of heating, and finally curds often form which block the nipples. Moreover, the texture of the reconstituted product changes over time and necessitates immediate consumption of the preparation.
These thickening agents act upon contact with the acidity of the stomach by thickening the alimentary bolus, thus making it possible to avoid the refluxes by gravitational effect. The use of thickening preparations is recommended as a first choice for simple regurgitations. Drug therapies are instead reserved for recalcitrant regurgitations and especially for true refluxes. Moreover, the manufacture of longlife milk by a process called "UHT" (Ultra High Temperature) is well known. This process being well known, it is unnecessary to describe it here in detail. Essentially, this widely industrialized process consists:
in preheating a milk, standardized or otherwise, for example at 70.degree.-75.degree. C.; PA1 in homogenizing this preheated milk by throttling at high pressure (greater than 1.7.times.10.sup.7 Pascals) in order to break up the fat globules and thus prevent the cream from rising; PA1 then, in sterilizing by thermal shock at 130.degree.-145.degree. C. for two to ten seconds; PA1 finally, after cooling, in packaging under an aseptic atmosphere and in sterile packages. PA1 in preheating, then homogenizing an infant milk, PA1 then, in treating this milk at ultra high temperature (UHT), PA1 finally, in packaging under aseptic atmosphere in sterile packages, PA1 on the one hand, in pulverulent form directly into the infant milk; PA1 on the other hand, previously dissolved in distilled water, or more generally in deionised water, at room temperature, with very rapid stirring (1000 revolutions/minute and more) and is kept stirring (100 revolutions/minute and more) before being sent into the circuit; it is essential that this thickening product is maintained stirred. PA1 the carob is introduced at room temperature and with vigorous stirring (more than 1000 revolutions/minute) in pulverulent form in an amount of 0.5 to 0.8% carob flour, or in the form of an aqueous solution containing 10 to 35 grams/liter of carob; PA1 the aqueous carob solution is continuously stirred before being sent upstream to the preheating and homogenization; PA1 the thickening agent may consist of a mixture, in appropriate quantity, of guar and pectins; PA1 a solution of vitamins commonly used in the dairy industry is also added to the solution of milk to be homogenized.
However, as is known, this UHT milk is not adapted to the specific needs of infants, even after addition of thickening agents.
The invention overcomes these disadvantages. It relates to a process for the manufacture of longlife, ready-to-use infant milk which attenuates or even eliminates the risks of regurgitation.